Inspired Budget Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $300 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
RO
Email SORINA | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unilateral cancellation, vehicle breakdowns, zero balance on refund account, police case opened
We booked a 2-week safari to Kenya and Tanzania with Inspired Budget Safaris and paid over 12,000 USD via Wise and PesaPal. The agency unilaterally cancelled the second part of our trip (Tanzania) and brought us back to Nairobi. They repeatedly promised a refund in writing. However, the payment platform PesaPal officially confirmed to us in writing that the agency has no money in their commercial account. The banking transfer references provided to us did not result in any funds arriving. Before our departure, we officially filed a complaint at the Police Station. Additionally, the Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO) officially confirmed to us in writing that this agency is not a member of their association, despite the information displayed. We are sharing this based entirely on our personal experience and official documents.
The first week in Kenya was problematic. The safari vehicle broke down almost every day due to poor maintenance, putting our safety at risk.
The agency changed our booked hotels without our consent.
They tried to compensate for these inconveniences with a 30 USD boat ride.
Furthermore, we discovered that the price they charged us was double compared to what other agencies charged our fellow travelers for the exact same activities and itinerary. For example: Masai Village visit for us 20USD/pp for other was 10USD; balloon safari for us 500USD/pp for others 425USD
I'm very disappointed with the way they worked with us and how they handled the situation. Every day they told us they were changing our car, even though they had no intention of doing so.
Reply from Inspired Budget Safaris
Posted on Aug 25, 2026Thank you for sharing your experience. We sincerely apologize for the frustrations and inconveniences you experienced during the Kenya portion of your safari.
We would, however, like to clarify a few points for the benefit of anyone reading this review.
Regarding the cancellation of the Tanzania portion, this was a decision we made after repeated concerns from the clients about the number of passengers in the safari vehicle. They made it clear that they were not comfortable continuing if there were more than seven people in the vehicle and expressed that they would report the matter to the police if this happened. Since we could not promise a vehicle arrangement that we could not guarantee, we felt it was more responsible to cancel the Tanzania portion rather than put the clients in a situation they were uncomfortable with. We arranged accommodation for them in Nairobi at our own responsibility and immediately began the refund process.
The refund is still being processed, and we remain in direct communication with the clients. To clarify the issue regarding PesaPal, PesaPal confirmed that there were insufficient funds available in the PesaPal/card-payment balance to process the refund at that particular time. This did not mean that there was no money in our bank account. We are continuing to work toward completing the refund and will honour our commitment to the clients.
We also acknowledge the concerns regarding the first week in Kenya. The experience clearly did not meet the standard we aim to provide, and we sincerely apologize for the vehicle issues, accommodation changes and the frustration these caused. We take this feedback seriously and will use it to improve our operations and communication.
Regarding the optional activities, we would also like to clarify that the clients were not charged by us for the boat ride, village visit or balloon safari. The boat ride was provided complimentary as a gesture of goodwill. For the village visit and balloon safari, we advised the clients to pay the activity providers directly on the ground. We provided estimated prices because these optional activity prices can vary depending on the provider and prevailing rates. We therefore did not intentionally overcharge the clients for these activities.
Regarding KATO, we are currently in the process of applying for membership. KATO has contacted us, we have responded, and we will continue to comply directly with their requirements. We acknowledge that our communication regarding our relationship with KATO should have been clearer, and we apologize for any misunderstanding this may have caused.
Ultimately, we accept that the first week of the safari caused considerable frustration, and we are sorry that the experience fell short of expectations. We made the decision to stop the Tanzania portion because we believed it was the most responsible option under the circumstances, and we took responsibility for arranging accommodation in Nairobi and initiating the refund.
We remain in communication with the clients and are committed to seeing the refund through.
We are a growing company, and while this experience has been difficult, we are taking the lessons from it seriously. We will do better, improve our communication and strengthen our operations so that future clients receive the experience they expect and deserve.
We sincerely apologize once again for the frustrations caused.
IN
Email Shameer mankadakuzhiyan @shameermankada | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly Recommended!! ❤️❤️💐💐
An Unforgettable 14-Day Kenya & Tanzania Safari Experience🇹🇿🇰🇪
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Inspired Safaris Kenya for arranging an incredible 14-day safari journey through Kenya and Tanzania.
From the very beginning until my departure from Kenya back to Qatar, the entire experience was exceptionally well organized and memorable. Everything was handled with great care, professionalism, and attention to detail.
A special appreciation goes to Lina Margaret,💐 who was not only an excellent guide but also a wonderful companion throughout the entire journey. She guided and assisted me throughout all 14 days, including the Tanzania part of the safari, and continued to support me right up until my departure from Kenya.
Lina was always helpful, friendly, patient, and professional. Her knowledge of the wildlife, national parks, local culture, and safari routes made the experience even more special. I truly appreciated how she made sure I was comfortable, safe, and enjoying every moment of the journey.❤️
From the breathtaking landscapes of Kenya to the magnificent wildlife of Tanzania, including unforgettable moments in the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Ngorongoro and Serengeti, this safari has given me memories that I will cherish for a lifetime.
Thank you, Inspired Safaris Kenya, and a very special thank you to Lina Margaret💐 for making my African adventure such a wonderful and unforgettable experience.
I highly recommend Inspired Safaris Kenya to anyone dreaming of experiencing the beauty and wildlife of East Africa. 🦁🐘🦒🌍❤️
Asante Sana! 🇹🇿🇰🇪
IT
Email Stefano | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Much more than just a Tour Operator!
After a few days of research, I decided to book our safari with Inspired Budget despite the fact that they had fewer reviews than other tour operators and it turned out to be an excellent decision!
From day one, Lina was incredibly helpful and kind, answering all my questions and providing all the information I needed. She tailored the tour to our preferences and in the end we had the best experience we could have hoped.
On top of that, she went above and beyond by helping us with something unrelated to the safari itself. She solved a major issue that came up during our trip by booking train tickets for us ( tickets we would never have managed to get on our own) which truly saved our vacation!
Highly recommended!
IT
Email Ilaria | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience with a great tour operator, always available and helpful!
Our experience with Inspired Budget Safari has topped our expectations. Lina has been always kind, reliable and helpful both before and during our journey in Kenya. We did the 7 days 6 nights trip and managed to see all the big 5 in the first few days. We loved Masai Mara, where we did also the evening game (recommended!) and Lake Nakuru and were stunned by the landscapes and sunset in Amboseli. We feel confident in recommending Lina and Inspired Budget Safari, she will tailor the accommodation during the tour based on your needs, and this made a huge differenze for us. Great value for Money too. A small note: they prefer to be paid in cash so better if you arrive prepared.
DE
Email Pia | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everyone puts a lot of effort into the tour to give you the best experience!! Really good service
It took a really long time for me to find a good safari where I see a lot without spending too much money. And I can say, this is a really good company where you get what you’ve paid for. It was a excellent service while I was booking (answered all questions and gave lots of informations) and also during the safari. Lina Margaret was asking everyday if everything is fine and if I need anything so a big thank you for that aswell. I was able to see the big five and lots more. You always have to be lucky with the animals but the driver was trying really hard to show as much as he can and he did a amazing job (driver was Phillip). The car was good, accommodation was always really good and the food aswell. The group was changing cause some only booked for 4 days, some for 5 and I had the 6 days but it didn’t bothered me too much. Would definitely recommend it and would always do it again!!:) great experience all in all. Just a short notice, it is a lot of driving cause the Nationalparks are far from each others. So if you are not fine with driving a lot I would take a tour with less Nationalparks/ less days
IT
Email Jonni | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Inspired Budget safaris Is the top, always available
I looked at several quotes, and this was the best for both price and included services. I was a little skeptical, but it was an excellent service. Kudos to Lina, who supported us throughout the trip. She texted us every day to check if everything was okay. She was always available and quick to respond to our inquiries, both during the safari and before and during booking. We had included services that others paid for on-site. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Email Gamini | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very professional, always available, responds immediately, couldn't have found any better.
Lina was always available to communicate during our (five of us) two months of planing this 11 day tour. She upgraded our tour for a private, added more features and lowered the published cost. She addressed the questions with personal interest and no delay 24/7, always positively and trouble shot immediately and did not avoid a question. Many others that we contacted did not answer the questions and the answers were similar to ones AI made with no human feelings! Value for money is the best we could have got.
Ours was mostly a camping safari in Kenya and Tanzania with intermittent hotel stays. The itinerary was nearly similar what comparable 11-day packages offer. However, she arranged meals at the hotels whereas others did not. This was a big plus in a place we are not familiar with and no time/energy to look for cafeterias . We wanted an additional day-tour in Nairobi. She arranged this for a reasonable fee. Overall fee was much lower than what a day trip for 5 that others offer.
Every detail had been perfectly attended to, from the airport pick-up, vehicles, tour guides, timing, meals, camps. There were snags like vehicle breakdowns (three times taking about 8 hours of safari time!). This has nothing to do with the tour operator. However, we took this positively as a part or a safari experience ourselves! Had we booked a luxury safari, our response would be different.
The tour, overall was very good. I think we got to see nearly all the animals and many actions that most others would not experience. Examples are, lions with a kill, a gazelle giving birth, a heard of rhinos crossing the road just ahead of us, a black rhino near a giraffe with a leopard on a tree in the background, and to rescuing a stranded vehicle from a water hole! We have to thank the tour guides for their sharp vision on animal behavior, which in turn goes to the tour operator. The tour guides/drivers were very good and experienced. Outdoor camping connecting with the real African wildlife, needs to be experienced by every safari goer!
Overall this was a good dream, that we can see again and again if we want!
DE
Email Nina & Marcel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect!
We compared a lot of different tour operators and are indeed happy that we chose Inspired Budget Safaris. Although it seems the operators are more or less all nested within the same company, the handling of the different sub companies did make a big difference as other guest had several issues with theirs. For us, Inspired Budget Safaris was really perfect, from the booking process and the super fast and easy communication through what’s app to the last day of bringing us back to our hotel in Nairobi. The safari itself was absolutely stunning, ANTHONY, our guide, was the best and went above and beyond for us. He is very experienced, knew exactly how the animals would behave and guided us so that we could spot all these amazing animals. We did a four-day safari including two days in the Masai Mara and can really recommend taking two days there, as the park is absolutely stunning with its views and beautiful wildlife.
THANK YOU AGAIN ANTHONY, you made our holiday, and thank you to the whole team!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
AR
Email Agustin | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Always very attentive, friendly, responsible, and detail-oriented
Inspired Safari is the best agency I could have chosen, and on top of that, the one that offered me the best price. I was assisted by Lina and Martha, and they were always attentive, answering all my questions and inquiries in a detailed and friendly manner, and constantly checking on how I was doing. The safari itself was spectacular, and the guides were excellent as well, especially Elisahili in Tanzania. When I come back, I will definitely contact them again. Thank you very much for everything
HU
Email Matthew | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Helpful and friendly.
Very great experience in Kenya on a 7 days long safari; we saw the big 5 and everything was amazing!